Top construction for tables or the like



W. FALL June 30, 1942.

TOP CONSTRUCTION FOR TABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 l G P INVENTOR Wilfrid Pull.

BY AW ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,288,563 TOP CONSTRUCTION FOR TABLES ORTHE LIKE Wilfrid Fall, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor toEdward G. Budd Manufacturingflompany, lhiladelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania I Application August 3, 194i), Serial No. 350,865

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a top construction for tables or the like and particularly to such top constructions provided with a dependin marginal finish and reinforcing means.

Table tops, such as are used in dining cars, have heretofore been constructed with sheet metal top panels suitably supported at the required height from the floor, and the margins of such sheet metal tops have commonly been reinforced by a depending flange suitably beaded for strength and to provide marginal finish. Such integral margin beaded flanges required difficult forming operations, especially in the rounded corners of the tables. They required expensive forming tools such as made the cost of manufacture excessive, and this was particularly true where the tops required of any given design did not run into very large numbers.

It is an object of the invention to provide such a reinforced marginal top construction for tables or the like which avoids such expensive tool requirements and difficult forming operations, and hence reduces the cost of manufacture of such constructions, whether produced in large or small numbers.

This object may be attained by having the plane sheet metal top panel reinforced in its margin by a separate depending skirt or reinforcement which can be readily applied to conceal the raw margin of the top panel and readily secured in place to provide a strong reinforcement for the panels. Such reinforcement may consist of a simple extruded metal section having a cross section which facilitates its application and securement to the top panel, which does not require the edge of the panel to be held to amurate dimensions. It is preferably so constructed, as by beading, as to give the desired attractive appearance and at the same time serve well its primary function of stiffening and strengthening the table top.

Other and further objects and advantages and the manner in which they are attained will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawing forming a part hereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a table to which the invention is shown applied, parts being broken away and shown in section; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the invention is shown applied to a table top located along a fixed wall, as in a dining car, but it will be understood that it has broader application, such as to table tops, counter tops, shelving, etc., used in numerous other relations.

The table top is indicated generally by reference character It] and is shown arranged along a wall, as the side wall of a rail car indicated at Illa. It may comprise a fiat generally rectangular metal sheet ll having rounded corners at its free portion remote from thewall.

The marginal reinforcing member l2 may be and preferably is an extruded metal strip made from some suitable metal which is readily extrudable, such as aluminum, and in the form shown, which is the preferred form, it is shown as comprising a main vertically extending body including a top beaded portion [3 and a bottom beaded portion I4 interconnected by a thinner web portion IS. The top beaded portion is provided for strength and to give a nice finished appearance around the margin of the top sheet II and is provided on one side thereof with a groove l6 adapted to receive the edge of the sheet H. Below this groove and forming a lateral extension of the bottom side wallthereof is provided an attaching means, in the form of a flange l1. This flange, when the strip is applied with its groove fitting over the edge of the top sheet or panel ll, overlaps the bottom face of the sheet and the parts are secured together, as by spot welding, the flange l! to the top sheetl l.

The reinforcing strip l2 of the invention is readily applied around the rounded corners of the table by cutting out a portion of the flange I! at the corner and bending the strip around the corner transverse to the plane of its main body formed by the beaded portions 13 and I4 and the interconnecting web portion l5. When secured as described, the strip I2 provides a strong and stiff marginal reinforcement to the table top panel H and by reason of its Vertical depth provides a depending finish skirt in said margin, the top bead providing also a smooth finish at the top between the top face of the sheet II and the reinforcing strip [2. 7

As above pointed out, the top construction has many applications analogous to its application to the table top for location along a fixed wall in connection with which it has been shown and described, and applicant wishes it to be under-' stood that the scope of the invention is to inelude all such other modifications and applications as fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A top construction for tables or the like comprising a sheet metal top panel and a marginal reinforcing member therefor having a groove therein receiving the edge of the panel and an integral extension overlapping the bottom face of the panel and secured thereto.

2. A top construction for tables or the like comprising a sheet metal top panel and a marginal reinforcing metal strip therefor having a main vertically extending body portion comprising a bead at top and bottom interconnected bya web thinner than said beads, the top bead being formed with a groove therein receiving the edge of the panel, said strip further having an integral lateral extension overlapping the bottom face of the panel and secured thereto.

3. A marginal reinforcement for the edge of a horizontal panel, comprising an extruded metal strip having a body portion including top and bottom thickened portions interconnected by a thinner web, the top thickened portion being provided with a groove to receive the edge of a panel, and an integral attaching portion extending at one side of said groove laterally beyond the body portion.

4. A top construction for tables or the like comprising a generally rectangular sheet metal top panel having rounded corners, and a marginal reinforcing member therefor having a vertical body portion formed adjacent its top with a lateral groove to receive the edge of a panel and an integral lateral attaching flange extending the lower side wall of the groove beyond the body portion and overlapping and secured to the top panel, said flange being cut away at the rounded corners to facilitate bending the reinforcing member around the same.

WILFRID FALL. 

